APPLYING FOR OPTIONAL OR DISCRETIONARY POINTS
Dr Elizabeth Bailey
Associate Specialist Renal Medicine
BMA SASC
2
Applying for Optional or Discretionary Points
• Background
• Eligibility
• Criteria
• The Decision Making Group (DMG)
• Scoring systems
• Completing the application form
• What to do if you are unsuccessful
3
Discretionary and Optional points-what are they?
• discretionary points for associate specialists• optional points for staff doctors• additional superannuable salary paid at the
discretion of the employer • reward and recognition for the quality of your
work• administered separately – no competition between
associate specialists and staff doctors
4
Discretionary and Optional points-what aren’t they?
• automatic
• yours by right
• seniority payments
5
Discretionary and Optional points• for associate specialists introduced in 1996
(AL(MD)7/95)
• for staff doctors introduced with the new contract in 1997 (AL(MD)4/97)
• guidelines on the process of awarding points, criteria etc. issued by DoH
• arrangements for deciding payment and the number of points to be awarded left up to the employing Trust
6
What are they worth?• each optional point worth £2011 - £2444• each discretionary point worth £1713 - £2234• big contribution to final pension • maximum of 6 • salary increased by about £12,000 - £14,000 if
attain maximum points• only 10% of staff doctors and 9% of associate
specialists attain the maximum
7
Number Of Points Awarded• original intention not to limit the number available
each year – no competition• some Trusts not awarding any (40% in NW
England)• setting a limit ensures Trusts award points each
year but then competition between applicants• SASC recommends a minimum of 0.35 points per
eligible doctor• individuals may be awarded more than one point
at a time• once awarded, a point cannot be taken away
8
Eligibility• eligible when you have reached the top of
the automatic incremental pay scale
• staff doctors must be on the new (1997) contract
• you must apply
• remain eligible until reached top of optional/discretionary points scale
9
Criteria• similar for Associate Specialists and Staff
doctors• recognise that SAS doctors spend
significant time in the service of patients• focus primarily on clinical expertise and
quality of patient care• account should be taken of overall
workload, workload intensity, staff and facilities available
10
Categories
• clinical expertise (SG)
• quality of patient care (SG)
• professional excellence (patient care, service development, leadership) (ASG)
• undertaking significant heavy workload or responsibilities
• contribution to multidisciplinary team working
11
Categories
• research, innovation and improvement in the service
• clinical audit
• administrative or NHS management contributions
• teaching and training
• wider contribution to the work of the NHS nationally
12
The Decision Making Group
• equal number of management and staff representatives
• minimum constitution : Medical Director, Human Resources Director, SAS doctor not eligible for points, a consultant not responsible for any of the doctors applying
13
Scoring Systems
• introduced by many Trusts to make judging applications more objective
• typical scoring systems weight the categories
• DMG tries to judge level of performance in each category
14
Scoring Systems: level of performance
• Level 0 no activity/submission in this category
• Level 1 is performing at the level of a staff doctor or associate specialist
• Level 2 acknowledged within the directorate as performing beyond expectation in the
particular category• Level 3 lead individual in the directorate and
wider recognition outside the directorate
15
Completing the application formwhat to do
• sell yourself• think carefully about your work, your role
within your directorate, your contribution to the service
• remember the DMG has to judge your application solely on the information you provide
16
Completing the application formwhat to do
• take your time
• use a computer
• give detail (but be concise!)
• think where an entry will score the most
• be honest not modest
• ask for advice
17
Completing the application formwhat not to do
• assume it’s easy
• assume the DMG members know how good you are
• rush
• handwrite the form
• think you won’t succeed
• not bother
18
Clinical Expertise• number of years experience in your
speciality
• any higher qualifications you have and the date you got them
• what you are particularly good at and take a lead role in
19
Clinical Expertise• mention procedures you do which your
colleagues do not - this makes you the local expert
• mention common procedures which you do a lot of (numbers may be useful) - this indicates that you are recognised within your directorate as being an expert in this field
20
Clinical Expertise
• any procedures you perform which would otherwise have to be done by a consultant
• how much of the service is led by you without consultant input
• involvement in CPD activities
21
Quality Of Patient Care
Think about aspects of your work which have improved patient care even if indirectly. Examples might include:
• extra clinics you’ve held
• outlying clinics you do - this takes the service to the patients
22
Quality Of Patient Care
• your positive response to audit findings
• introducing new treatments
• changes to ward/clinic/ theatre practices you’ve introduced to benefit patients
• writing treatment protocols
23
Quality Of Patient Care
• regular meetings you’ve set up with other team members to plan patient management
• your role in innovations which have improved patient care
• unsolicited correspondence from patients demonstrating the quality of care you provided
24
Undertaking Significant Heavy Workload Or Responsibilities
• how many fixed sessions you work
• whether you have any on call commitments
• whether your department is understaffed
• flexibility with covering for absent colleagues
25
Undertaking Significant Heavy Workload Or Responsibilities
• if you cover for absent consultants
• if you travel long distances to do outlying clinics
• if you are the only provider of a certain aspect of service
• your role in helping the trust to meet its objectives
26
Contribution To Professional & Multidisciplinary Team Working
You need to demonstrate that you are a key player and not just an ordinary member. It is worth including:
• details of team meetings which you have introduced
• meetings you have chaired
27
Contribution To Professional & Multidisciplinary Team working
• presentations you’ve made
• professions you work closely with
• how you keep other team members informed e.g. newsletters, written reports
28
Research, Innovation And Improvement In The Service
• research projects - mention if your research has been presented at conferences or if it has been published
• if you have been or are a lead investigator in a clinical trial
29
Research, Innovation And Improvement In The Service
• your involvement in changes to practices and procedures which have improved efficiency, reduced waste, saved money etc.
• implementation of improvements to the service from literature
30
Clinical Audit
• your role in conducting audit projects
• data collection
• data analysis
• feedback of results to the team - your role
31
Clinical Audit
• your response to audit findings
• if you have a wider role in audit within the region e.g. Regional Audit Steering Groups
• any changes in clinical practice implemented
32
A bad example
• Clinical audit
33
Administrative Or NHS Management Contributions
Consider including:• if you are responsible for preparing on call
rotas• if you are involved in preparation for
meetings e.g. planning agendas, inviting speakers
• if you sit on any committees whether related to your speciality or to the Trust or a union e.g. BMA
34
Teaching And Training
Include here:
• informal teaching of staff
• formal teaching sessions and who you teach
• if you train junior medical staff in certain procedures
35
Teaching And Training
• if you give educational talks to other groups e.g. patient associations
• your role in organising special educational study days for your department
• your activity within your department’s CPD sessions e.g. case presentations
36
Wider Contribution To The Work Of The NHS Nationally
you could include: • activities you undertake for medical royal
colleges, specialist societies and other professional bodies
• participation in conferences• BMA committee work• participation in any other relevant advisory groups
(e.g.. patient support groups)
37
Further help
• examples of what to put for each category in the handout
• guidance issued by BMA SASC available
38
What To Do If You Are Unsuccessful
• do not be disheartened• ask for feedback from the DMG• think about your work and what you can do to
enhance your chance of success in future applications
• you can appeal against the decision if you think you have been treated unfairly
• Trusts are obliged to operate a non-discriminatory policy
39
What to do if your Trust is not awarding points• write to your Director of Human Resources
• copy your letter to the Chief Executive, Medical Director, Chairman of LNC, SAS Rep and BMA IRO
• ask for a copy of the procedure for awarding points and an explanation for why points have not been awarded, why you have not been invited to apply etc
• ask for a response within 21 days
• if response is not positive, write to Chairman of LNC and ask for this issue to be raised at the next LNC meeting (copy your letter to BMA IRO on LNC)
• your Regional SASC will try to help you
40
Take Home Messages
• spend time on your application
• sell yourself
• be honest not modest!
• remember you are worth it (but you’ve got to prove it on your application)!